Cleaning apparatus for the cooling



July 15, 1952 D, M PAXTON 2,603,227

CLEANSING APPARATUS FOR THE COOLING SYSTEMS OF ENGINES Filed OC'C. ll, 1947 IN VEN TOR.

@any 59m [j-L @qu Patented July 15, 1952 CLEANINGAPPAEATUS Fon THE oooLING sYsTEMsoF ENGINES Dewey M. Paxton, Phoenix, Ariz., assigner to Industrial Research, Inc., a corporation of Arizona Application october 11, 1947, serial No. 779,255

My invention relates to" apparatus for cleaning uid circulatory systems, and more particularly relates to an apparatus for flushing the lWater coolingv systems of internal Vcombustion engines. It has as a purpose the. provision of a portable apparatuswhich may not only be used in connection with the engines ofv mobile units, such as motor Vehicles, but may be transported `and moved into suitable apposition with stationary internal combustion' engines such as the light and power'units and'pumping engines useclin rural districts.

A further'purpose of my invention is to provide an apparatus for flushing and cleaning the water cooling systemof an engine, which utilizes the power of the engine for circulating the cleansing fluid, and requires no other means for impelling the uid than means commonly found on internal combustion engines.

Another purpose of my invention is to provide an apparatus for the purpose stated, which causes circulating cleansing iiuid to flow through the water-cooling system of an engine in a series of sudden rushes of greater than normal velocity, so asto effectively dislodge and carry away the scale and other matter accumulated in the engine radiator, `and other parts of the cooling system. Y

Yet -anotherpurpose of my invention is to utilize the vacuum available in the intake manifold of y"an internal combustion engine for developing surges in the circulation of iiuid through thecooling system'of an internal combustion engine, so as to increase the hydraulic 'scouring action of the fluid.

, Still a further purpose of my invention is to provide an apparatusV in which the cleansing fluid and thematter removed from the cooling system ofA the engine, are retained wholly within thefapparatus, thus rendering the apparatusparticularly suitedfor use in automobile service stations where as a rule no sewerage is provided to drain off liquid'from' the pavement thereof.

Broadly stated my invention'embodies the use of a portable tank provided with suitablemeans for tapping the Water hose connections between the engine jacketV and the radiator of an engine, so as to provide circulation of fluid through the tank as well as throughthe normal channels of the engine cooling system in which circulation is ordinarily impelled either by a water pump forming part o f the engine or by thermo-syphonic action of a radiator. iA quick-acting valve is installed in the tank circulatory system, operable by a diaphragm in communication with the intake manifold of the enginel and, therefore, responsive to the vacuum prevailing in the intake manifold. Avacuum-breaker, also in the tank circulatory system and hydraulically actuated by the fluid therein, intermittently -breaks and-re- -7 Claims. (Cl. LEA-56)` stores 'the vacuum applicable to the diaphragm, and thereby intermittently closes and opens the quick-acting valve, causing a surge of iiuidfrom the tank to flow through the engine water cooling system at each occurrence of opening of the valve.

I will describe a'preferred embodiment of my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in my claims. VFurther useful attainmentsand advantages of my invention will become apparent asV this description proceeds and from tlieaccompanying drawings, illustrative of my preferred embodiment, in which,

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is an elevational view, partly in section, of my invention in operative connection with an internal combustion engine, alternative positions of thev vacuum breaker being shown in solid and broken lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2.-2 of Fig. 1, and showing details of the quick-opening valve and the diaphragm by which it is operated.

Having reference now to the details of the drawings, this embodiment of my invention comprises a tank 5, mounted on castors 6, and provided with an inlet hose 1 and outlet hose 8 for connection to the water cooling system of an internal combustion engine 9 which is shown as having the conventional Water jacket Ill, radiator II, water pump I2, rand tubular fittings I3 for connecting the water jacket to the radiator by upper and lower hose sections. The hoses 1 and 8 are provided With exible T ends I4 and I5 which may be secured to the tubular fittings I3 as temporary substitutes i for the conventional upper and lower hose sections. The outlet hose 8, which leads to the lower tubular ttings I3, is secured to the tank 5 by means of a fitting I8 which contains a check valve I'I arranged to permit ilow only outwardly from the tank 5to the engine 9.

The inlet hose 'I leads from the upper tubuiar fittings I3 Ato a sediment trap I8 secured to the tank 5., rIhe trap Il' is, in turn, connected by a conduit i9 toa vacuum control chamber 2e) whichis'so disposed as to discharge into the tank 5 through a check-valve 2|. A closed tankengine fluid Acircuit is thus lprovided by which fluid contained in the `tank 5 may pass therefrom through'the check valve II, outlet hose 8, and T i5 to the water jacket IB and radiator II, and return thence to the tank 5 through the T I4, inlet hose l, sediment trap I8, conduit I9, vacuum control chamber 20, and check-valve 2 I.

A quick-acting valve 22, is mounted in the conduit I9 to open'and close the above described tankfengine circuit, fand' is operated byr a pushrod 23--connected'ftoafdiaphragm 24 which has its lowpressure side -in communication with the vacuum control chamber 20. The valve 22 may be of any suitable quick-acting type, but is preferably a gate-valve as illustrated in Fig. 2, in which an arm 25 is operably connected to the push-rod 23 so as to be arcuately movable thereby around a pivot 26; and a second arm 21, also pivotable on the pivot 26, has a gate 28 secured thereto so as to be arcuately movable to open andv close the conduit I9. The distal ends of the arms 2B and 21 are connected bywa spring 29 which causes rapid arcuate movement of the arm 21 and of the gate 28 as the arm 25 is moved through a position of alinement with the arm 21. 1

To obtain a vacuum in the vacuum-control chamber 20, an air conduit 30 is suitably secured to the upper portion of the control chamber and leads therefrom 'to the', intake manifold (not shown) Vof the engine '9; ,The air conduit l3l) is preferably 'a flexible hose suited to connection with a nipple Vor other fitting on the intakemanifold, and its point of entry to the vacuum control chamber 20 is protected by a foam-guard SI to prevent fluid from being carried Yover to the engine; Itis toj be' understood 'that while I prefer to have'my` invention` embodied in a self-contained unit comprising only the apparatus described and j the .internal combustion engine, the air conduit 30 may lead to any suitable vacuum-generating apparatus such as the intake end of an air-compressor or a water faucet inspirator.. j

A vacuum-breaking system,f mounted within the vacuum control chamber 20, comprises a ilexible tube 32 connected at its upper end .to a tting 33 in the upper portion of the Vacuum control chamber and open therethrough to the atmosphere and provided at lits lower end with a ball check-valve` 34. A.cylindrical float 35 is pivotally mounted withinY the vacuum control chamber 20,'and the flexible tube 32 is so disposed that the check Valve 34'rides upon the float-35. As shown in broken lines Vin Fig. 1, when the floatV 3 5v is in raised position it causes the tube 3-2to bend upwardly, and thus inclines the check valve 34 sothat the ball 36 thereof rolls by gravity from the Yvalve-closingposition shown in section in Fig.,1tojagposition in which the valve is open tozadmi'ty'air to the' vacuum control chamber 3D, soas; to lbreak the vacuum therein.

VTo clean thefcoolinwgsystemY of an engine, the tank is brought to a position of apposition with theengine Skand the Ts I4 and I5 are substituted for Ythe conventional upper and lower hose sections thereof, the outlet hose 8 being connected to the lower tubular fittings I3, and the inlet hose 1 being 4connectedto the upper tubn- Y lar fittings. "The air vconduit v3l] is connected to the intake manifold of the engine, or other convenient suction device. The tank 5 having been partly filled with cleansing fluid, such as a caustic solution, and the engine having been started, the suction in the intake manifold of the engine will cause a partial vacuum in the vacuum control chamber 20 which will be effective upon the diaphragm 24 to cause the valve 22 to pressure of the fluid in the control chamber, and the fluid therefore accumulates in the control `chamber and raises the float 35. When the float to a position in which the quick-acting valve 22 iS spring open, thus opening the tank-engine circuit.

Fluid will iiow from the engine cooling system through the inlet hose 8, sediment trap I8, and conduit I9 tothe vacuum control chamber 20, the partial vacuum in the latter augmenting the velocity of flow above the velocityV caused by the impulsion of the water pump I2.

Because of the partial vacuum Within the vacuum control chambver 20,the check valve 2| tends te remam..1 ?sd, -rea under the hydrostatw snapped closed,.and fluid flow from the engine cooling systemV to the control chamber 20 is interrupted. Release of the vacuum in the control chamber also permits the check valve 2| to Open. sothat theuid in the control chamber flows to theank-S'. i 5.1,v

During thisfstage of the cycle of operations, fluidin'the engine cooling system will be circulated in. the ordinary manner through the water jacket',V I0 and radiator I I vby the water pump I 2 or the thermo-syphonicaction of .the radiator, but will not b` e augmented or increased in velocity by ow from the tank 5 or to the vacuum control chamber20?. The check valve I1 prevents the returnoffluid from thevengine .cooling system t0 the tank 5.A A

As soon as the fluid level in the control chamber 2t)VV has fallen sufciently .to lower the ball check valveV 34l tol a position in which the ball 36 again moves to valveclosing position, another cycle of operation begins, characterized again by a surgey of cleansing fluid through the engine cooling system when the vvacuumfin the control chamber 20 attains suflicient strength to open the quick-acting'valve 22.

vThus it is manifest thatfonce my apparatus is connected to the engine as described, it will under the vacuum created .by 4the engine itself operate automatically to'interr'nittently surge a cleansing uid through the' cooling system of the engine, and that, *my apparatus, while portable to facilitate its applicationl to a motor vehicle where space is at a premium such asin automobile service stations, maintains the cleansing fluid, the scale and other matter removed from the water cooling system, wholly within Vthe apparatus, for were they permitted toy be dischargedonto the pavement of avservice station, the resultant flooding can well be imagined, unless such discharge were made directly into a sewer with which few service stations are provided.

It is lto b understood that various changes and madications may 'be made in the circulatory cleansingfapparatus herein describedl of which thefdrawings are illustrativeonlyand indeed in part diagrammatic, without departing from` the spiritand scopefcf my Inventionas set forth in the appended caffe.,-

Iclam;V y y.: v f l. A cleansing apparatus for the water-cooling systemr of an .internal vcombustion engine, comprising: tank 'means for a supply of cleansing liquid;I means for connecting saidv tank means to said coolingsystem to form a circuit; means for creating a partial vacuum in a Yportion of said circuit; valve means of :.q'uick-acting type for suddenly opening vand closing said circuit in response to the degree of sai'dfpartial vacuum to set up surgingof `thecleansing liquid through the coclingusystemoffthe.r engine to dislodge and carry away scale and` other matter in said system; and means for intermittentlygbreaking said Vac- 2&4 leasieseevara-br. 'the 'wafer-wenns system of an internal combustion engine. comprising; tank means for a supply of cleansing liquid; means for connecting said tank means to said cooling system to form a circuit; means for creating a partial vacuum in a portion of said circuit; Valve means of quick-acting type for suddenly opening and closing said circuit; diaphragm means for actuating said valve means in response to the degree of said partial vacuum to set up surging of the cleansing liquid through the cooling system of the engine to dislodge and carry away scale and other matter in said system; and means for intermittently breaking said vacuum.

3. A cleansing apparatus for the cooling system of an internal combustion engine adapted to form a liquid circuit in combination with said cooling system, and having quick-acting valve means for suddenly opening and closing said circuit to set up surging of liquid through the cooling system of the engine to dislodge and carry away scale and other matter in said system; and intermittent vacuum breaking means operative in response to ow through said valve means of a predetermined volume of liquid and inactive Whensaid valve means are closed.

4. A cleansing apparatus for the water-cooling system of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a liquid supply tank; a Vacuum control chamber having an outlet to said tank; means for preventing return now through said outlet to said vacuum control chamber; a lrst conduit connecting said tank to said cooling system; a second conduit connecting said vacuum control chamber to said cooling system; air conduit means for connecting said vacuum control chamber to the intake manifold of said engine so as to generate a vacuum in said vacuum control chamber; a quick-acting valve for suddenly opening and closing said second conduit to control the iiow of liquid therethrough from said tank and said cooling system to said vacuum control chamber; means responsive to variations in the liquid level in said vacuum control chamber for breaking the vacuum therein; and a diaphragm responsive to a decrease in pressure in said vacuum control chamber to open'said quick-acting valve, and to an increase in said pressure to close said valve to set up surging of the liquid through the cooling system of the engine to dislodge and carry away scale and other matter in said system.

5. A cleansing apparatus for the water-cooling system of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a liquid supply tank; a vacuum control chamber having an outlet to said tank; means for preventing return ow through said outlet to said vacuum control chamber; a first conduit connecting said tank to said cooling system: a second conduit connecting said vacuum control chamber to said cooling system; said iirst and said second conduits having T ends adapted to engage the fittings on the water jacket and radiator of said engine in substitution for the hoses normally engaging said fittings; air-conduit means for connecting said vacuum control chamber to the intake manifold of said engine so as to generate a vacuum in said vacuum control chamber; a quick-acting valve for suddenly opening and closing said second conduit to control the ow of liquid therethrough from said tank and said cooling system to said vacuum control chamber; means responsive to variations in the liquid level in said vacuum control chamber for breaking the vacuum therein; and a diaphragm responsive to a decrease in pressure in said vacuum control chamber to suddenly open 6 said quick-acting valve, and to an increase in said pressure to suddenly close said valve to'set up surging of the liquid through the cooling sysn tem of the engine to dislodge and carry away scale and other matter in said system.

6. A cleansing apparatus for the water-cooling system of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a liquid supply tank; a vacuum control chamber having an outlet to said tank; means for preventing return flow through said outlet to said vacuum control chamber; a iirst conduit connecting said tank to said cooling system; a second conduit connecting said vacuum control chamber to said cooling system; air conduit means for connecting said vacuum control chamber to the intake manifold of said engine so as to generate a vacuum in said vacuum control chamber; a quick-acting valve for suddenly opening and closing said second conduit to control the flow of liquid therethrough from said tank and said cooling system to said vacuum control chamber forming an outlet therefrom to atmophere; a check valve in said tube operable to open responsively to upward ilexation thereof; a float in said vacuum control chamber engaging said tube in a manner to cause upward lexation of said tube in response to an increase in liquid level within said chamb-er; and a diaphragm responsive to a decrease in pressure in said Vacuum control to suddenly open said quick-acting valve, and'to an increase in said pressure to close said valve to set up surging of the liquid through the cool- A ing system of the engine to dislodge and carry away scale and other matter in said system.

7. In combination with the liquid cooling system of an internal combustion engine having a pump driven by the engine and circulating liquid through said system a cooling system cleansing apparatus, comprising: a tank containing cleansing liquid; a rst conduit connecting the bottom of the tank to a low point in said cooling'system; a vacuum control chamber having an outlet to said tank; means to prevent return now through said outlet to said vacuum control chamber; a second conduit connecting said vacuum control chamber to a high point in said cooling system; a quick acting valve in said second conduit for suddenly opening and closing said second conduit; a conduit connecting said vacuum control chamber to the intake manifold of the engine to set up a vacuum in said vacuum control chamber; a exible tube in said vacuum control chamber forming an outlet therefrom to atmosphere; a chack valve in said tube operable to open responsively to upward fi-exation thereof; a oat in said vacuum control chamber engaging said tube in a manner to cause upward ilexation of saidtube in response to an increase in liquid level within said chamber; and a diaphragm responsive to a decrease in pressure in said vacuum control chamber to suddenly open said quick-acting valve and to set up surging of the cleansing liquid.

DEWEY M. PAXTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,354,311 Landrum Sept. 28, 1920 1,645,356 Shurts Oct. 11, 1927 1,685,598 Davis Sept. 25, 1928 2,151,278 Milhaupt Mar. 21, 1939 

